Freddie Freeman may not play in NLCS Game 6

NEW YORK — As he battles through a badly sprained right ankle, Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman continues to struggle at the plate in the National League Championship Series.

After Freeman’s 0-for-5 performance with a pair of strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 12-6 loss to the Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS, manager Dave Roberts said he plans to have a conversation with the first baseman about his role for Sunday’s Game 6 at Dodger Stadium. Freeman is now 3-for-18 (.167) in the four games he has played this series.

“I do think that his swing is not right,” Roberts said. “I’m certain that it’s the ankle. We’ll have that conversation, but it’s certainly an option to not have him in there for Game 6, yes.”

Since spraining his ankle on Sept. 26, Freeman has spent multiple hours a day receiving treatment. As he plays through the injury, the pain hasn’t gotten any better.

“It is what it is,” Freeman said. “I know what every day is like, I just wish I could do my routine. You guys know I’m very routine-based, and I haven’t been able to do it. I’ll get to the field tomorrow when the training room opens to get my treatment and right after that get in the cage to try and fix this swing.”

Freeman said he hasn’t felt good with his mechanics for quite some time, and that it’s “hard to say” if the ankle is the main contributor for his recent tough stretch at the plate. Though Freeman does have seven hits in the eight October games he has played, he has yet to record an extra-base hit in the postseason.

“It’s like you’re running a 100-meter hurdle, and I keep hitting the same hurdle and I run right into it every time,” Freeman said. “It is what it is, and I’m doing the best I can.”

If Freeman is out for Game 6, it won’t be the first time Los Angeles rolls out a starting nine without its first baseman. Freeman was forced to miss Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Padres and Game 4 of the NLCS. The Dodgers won both games, scoring a combined 18 runs.

The decision could be easier for the Dodgers given that the Mets are starting left-hander Sean Manaea in Game 6. Max Muncy would play first base in Freeman’s absence, with Kiké Hernández sliding over to third. It would also allow the Dodgers to start Andy Pages, who homered twice on Friday, in center field.

“If I’m not in there on Sunday,” Freeman said, “we’ll do everything we can to be available later in the game.”